The Embassy Cables: Military partnership with India

In a June 2009 cable posted online by Wikileaks, a meeting is detailed between National Security Adviser James Jones and Indian Defense Minister A.K. Antony, who stressed the importance of a close military relationship between India and the United States.

The cable shows that both men were acting under the direction of the leaders of both countries.

“Both Jones and Antony affirmed their commitment to building the U.S.-India mil-mil partnership as envisioned by President Obama and Prime Minister Singh,” the cable reads.

India is seen as a strategic ally in Asia, given its proximity to the Middle East.

India also has a vested interest in American success in the war in Afghanistan.

“The Indian military is concerned by the situation in Afghanistan, Antony admitted, and stressed that the international community’s operations there must succeed because the India cannot imagine for a moment a Taliban takeover of its “’extended neighbor,'” the cable reads.

Both sides also worry about Pakistan. Indian officials stressed that they did not make any aggressive military moves toward Pakistan, even after the Mumbai terrorist attacks.

The Indians believe that 43 terrorist camps operate in Pakistan, 22 of which are located in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. They also shared intelligence that even after the Pakistan military raided some camps, they simply set up operations again after the soldiers left.

General Deepak Kapoor, Indian Chief of Army Staff, told the Americans that they worried that American military supplies meant for Pakistan’s forces to control terrorists are actually ending up in the wrong hands, as terrorists are being found to be well supplied and full of ammunition.

“There’s a trust deficit between the U.S. and Pakistan but there’s also one between India and Pakistan,” Kapoor siad.